Pride
by Jess.91
Summary: Another Teddy Lupin oneshot. I seem to love that kid. Teddy's first day at Hogwarts  saying goodbye to everyone, and entering the place his parents died.


Third one-shot of the day. Wow.

Pride

Summary: Another Teddy Lupin one-shot. I seem to love that kid. Teddy's first day at Hogwarts - saying goodbye to everyone, and entering the place his parents died.

Teddy Lupin stood on platform nine and three quarters, more nervous than he had ever been in his entire life. The eleven year old, already dressed in his brand new black robes with his brand new wand in his pocket, his brand new owl in her cage and his brand new trunk packed with brand new things, he felt a little too scruffy.

Maybe that was because he'd made his hair the same brown as his father's and messy and falling into his eyes, or maybe it was because he'd insisted on wearing his old, beat-up trainers under the robes.

Or maybe his discomfort wasn't due to feeling scruffy. Maybe it was because of the way everyone kept looking over at them.

It was to be expected, of course, that people would stare at them. Harry, his godfather Harry, was famous. Probably the most famous wizard in the world. He'd beat Voldemort, and, as if that wasn't enough, played Quidditch for England.

Still, Teddy could have done without the looks and whispers.

Of course, he was glad his godfather was here. Harry was the person he was closest to in the world, after all. The closest thing he had to a dad...which brought him right back to being nervous.

It wasn't just that this was his first day at Hogwarts, or that in a few minutes he'd be boarding the scarlet steam train for the first time. It wasn't just that he was going to leave behind the people he thought of as his family, and go to a place where, other than some of the teachers, he didn't know anyone. And knowing the teachers really well probably wasn't such a good thing. Having the headmistress, for example, remembering you when you were in nappies, was a little embarrassing really. Or Neville, the Herbology teacher, who'd babysat him a few times. It was a little strange.

But worst of all, the thing that was making him the most nervous, was that Hogwarts was where his parents had died. It was the last place they'd ever been, and Teddy felt strange about it. Even stranger than knowing the teachers personally.

"Are you ready?" Harry asked quietly. While Teddy had been lost in thought, Harry and Ron had lifted his trunk and owl into a compartment.

"Yeah. Sure." Teddy muttered, then swallowed hard.

"OK. We'll see you at Christmas then." Harry said. It was a comfort to Teddy that Harry looked nervous too. "Write to us when you get there, OK?"

"Will you write back to me?" Teddy asked, looking around at the large group of people surrounding him.

"Sure. All of us will." Harry said. "You'll spend so much time reading letter you won't be able to do your homework."

"Good luck, Teddy." Ginny said, hugging him tightly. Then Harry hugged him, then his grandma, then Ron, then Hermione, then Mrs. Weasley, and Mr. Weasley...Teddy was passed from one person to the other, hugged tightly, and he wondered what the people watching thought. The entire Weasley family had come to see him off, and they created quiet a big crowd when they were together. But Teddy was glad they'd all come, even if he did feel a little dizzy by the time Fleur hugged him. It almost took his mind off of not having parents.

Almost.

Bill hugged him, then Victorie threw her arms around him.

She was Teddy's best friend, and he'd maybe miss her the most.

"I'll write too." She said to him. "And you've got to write back, OK?"

"Sure. I'll tell you all about Hogwarts." Teddy nodded.

"You better get on, Teddy." His grandma said tearfully. Teddy felt a little bit guilty about leaving her - he was all she had, after all. But he knew the Weasley's would look after her.

Teddy climbed into the compartment, feeling as though this throat had closed up, and waved, forcing a smile.

"Have you got the map?" Harry asked, and Teddy nodded. The map his father had helped write was carefully folded in Teddy's pocket. Harry had given it to him that very morning, saying it would maybe help out at Hogwarts. Teddy didn't know how to feel about it. His father had helped write this, had signed his nickname at the top. Held it, used it. He supposed he liked having it.

"Don't forget to write." Victorie reminded him, and he nodded. A whistled sounded, and he jumped.

"See you at Christmas." His grandma said, and Teddy nodded again. The train started to move, and he couldn't help thinking he was stuck now. He couldn't jump of the train and go home.

Waving, he watched them all until the train rounded a corner, then he moved from the window and sat down.

He wasn't actually sure he didn't want to go to Hogwarts. He'd be OK. Sure he would.

"Can I sit here?" Teddy looked up to see a boy in the doorway. "Every where's full."

"Sure." Teddy said.

"Hi." The boy said, sitting down. "I'm Frankie Layton."

"Teddy Lupin." Teddy murmured.

"Lupin?" Frankie repeated thoughtfully. "Where've I heard that?"

Teddy shrugged. Then, feeling that it wasn't exactly something he could - or wanted to - keep a secret, he said; "My parents fought at Hogwarts, the night Voldemort was killed."

"Oh." Frankie said. And then his eyes widened. "Did they...didn't they die?" He said in a hushed voice. Teddy nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's OK." Teddy muttered. "My dad taught at Hogwarts one year too." He added. "Defence."

"Yeah, I remember my dad talking about it. He said he was great!"

"Your dad was taught by mine?" Teddy asked. That was weird. And, he couldn't help it, he felt a little bit jealous that this stranger, this boy's father, had known his dad...remembered his dad...when Teddy didn't.

"In his last year." Frankie nodded.

The two boys talked, as the train left London, as it sped past trees, fields, as the sky darkened and night fell. And then, when the train stopped, they both silenced.

"We're here." Frankie said nervously.

"Yeah..." Teddy murmured. They listened as a voice told them to leave their luggage, then made their way off of the train. Hearing Hagrid, Teddy ran over.

"Hi Teddy." Hagrid said brightly. Teddy smiled, but the nerves were worse now.

All the way to the boats, he couldn't stop thinking about this being the place where his parents had died. All the way across the lake, he couldn't stop thinking about it either. And as Hagrid lead them across the grounds, Teddy couldn't help looking around and wondering where exactly it had happened. Where exactly had his parents left him forever?

Then Hagrid knocked on the door, and dragged him from his thoughts.

It was Professor Flitwick who led them into the school. As Headmistress, McGonagall didn't do the sorting anymore.

He should have carried on following Flitwick, but Teddy couldn't. He'd known this was here, never seen it, and always wanted to. He'd been told exactly what it said, but that wasn't the same as actually seeing it.

A huge golden plaque was fixed on a wall in the entrance hall. At the top, in large black letters, it gave the date of the night Voldemort had died and said "Died Fighting". Inching closer, Teddy skimmed the names that were listed beneath the words, seeking those he knew.

_Fred Wealsey_ was the first one he recognised, right near the top. And then he saw their names, right after Fred's.

_Remus Lupin. Nymphadora "Tonks" Lupin._

He couldn't take his eyes from their names. He knew there were more in there, about fifty of them. And, under those names were more words; "Lost Lives In The War" and more names, in slightly smaller writing, was listed, including Harry's parents, and Albus Dumbledore, and Sirius Black, and at the end of the list was a mention the many muggles who'd died but couldn't be named, but Teddy didn't read them, Teddy knew they were there and for now he didn't have to look at them. He couldn't tear his eyes away from his parents' names. His parents' names, right up there.

Finally, he heard Professor Flitwick calling his name, and turned around. Most of the first-years, it seemed, had stopped to read the Memorial Plaque too.

"Your godfather's idea, that." Professor Flitwick said gently. "A great idea." Teddy nodded numbly, looking back at it and casting his eyes over the rest of the names, words, and finally the statement at the bottom.

_They Died As Heroes. Remember Them Forever._

And as Teddy finally followed the rest of the first years into the great hall, he could still picture their names, engraved in black against the shiny gold. Heroes. His parents were heroes.

He stepped forward to be sorted, grinned as the hat yelled Gryffindor. And, sitting down at the long wooden house table, he wondered if his parents were as proud of him as he was of them.


End file.
